Stuck in the Middle
by Nature9000
Summary: When Trina turns eighteen she learns of her birth family and makes swift plans to get to know them, while hoping to maintain a relationship with both sides. When jealousy and fear begins to take root, and resentment develops, Trina finds herself being pulled about like a rope. Struggling between two factions, can she establish peace or will she be forced to choose a side?
1. A Mother's Hidden Fear

Stuck in the Middle

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: So this was _supposed _to be a oneshot, but the plot got away from me, bloody hell, haha. This will be a chaptered story, but give it time as I am also completing other works first.

This is set in 2011, around Trina's eighteenth birthday, April 10th. The title has changed from a "battle of families" there is a vague tug-of-war concept, but not much. Trust and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 1 (A Mother's Hidden Secret)

Trina pushed Tori's door open while in the middle of a warpath. In her right hand she clutched her cell phone. "Tori!" The walls seemed to vibrate as her anger spilled out into the room. Tori poked her head out of the walk-in closet she had and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Why did you tell your friends I overcharged Dad's card buying a bunch of clothes? I only bought one dress for the birthday party." The issue here wasn't that Tori said she went shop crazy, but it was simply one of many rumors that her sister spread about her. "I swear to god the rumors are getting old. Why can't you be a normal sister for once?"

"I'd say the same about you." Tori shrugged and leaned against the wall. "You act like a diva all the time."

Trina crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I hardly think I'm the only one in this house that acts that way." Tori's mouth opened and she spun around with a scoff. "The last thing I need is your friends calling me up asking if I have enough clothes. You've got more stuff than I do! Stop giving your friends the thought that I'm any more of a diva than I am, you're more materialistic and perfection-based than I am."

"I am not."

"Says the high school princess." Tori put her hands to her hips and pressed her lips together. "Sometimes I wonder how we're even related, all you do is tell your friends that I do all the things you do." Tori's arms fell to her sides and Trina turned around, finally beginning to relax. "Develop a personality, Tori. I'll admit that I do love looking at new dresses, purses, makeup and stuff like that and sure I can go overboard once in a while, but so do you."

"You can't-"

"I'd love to have a sister that for once doesn't obsess over being the lead in every play, or performing another big hit for her entire school, and obsessing about being some big superstar. You know what? I'd _love _a sister that I can actually do things with that are actually somewhat interesting!"

"Well if you find a 'normal' sister, then good luck with that." Tori bounced on her heels and looked away for a second, then raised her voice. "Maybe I don't want to be your sister!" Trina stopped in the doorway and lifted her hand, flexing her fingers as she tried to come up with a response that wasn't hurtful.

"You know what, Tori? It's a double-edged-" Their argument was interrupted by David calling her downstairs. There was a sense of urgency mixed with a tone of sorrow. "Wonder what's going on."

Tori dismissed her with a wave and sat down at her desk. "Who cares?" She folded her forearms on the desk and stared out the window.

She turned her eyes upwards and shook her head. "I swear, the people in this family. Sometimes…" Trina hurried down the steps, slowing her pace once she got to the last step. Her brow furrowed onto her parents, and a guest she'd not met before.

Holly was sitting hunched over on the couch with her hand resting on the side of her face, covering up the right portion. David was standing with the visitor, his lips turned to a smile that clashed with the sorrow in his eyes.

The visitor was a woman that looked a little older than she was. The woman had short blonde hair with a tint of brown. She had a red shirt with incredibly short sleeves and knee length blue jeans. Her hands were tucked into her back pocket and her eyes slid towards Trina. Her pink lips moved up into a tiny smile as David twisted around.

"Trina." His shoulders fell and he averted his gaze. "I think there's something we should talk about. First, this is…Lizzie. Lizzie McGuire." Trina extended her hand and the girl returned the handshake.

"Pleased to meet you." She pulled her hand back and curled her eyebrows together. She glanced out the corner of her eyes and spotted Tori at the top of the stairs, leaning over the railing. Ignoring the girl, she returned to Lizzie. "How do you know my parents?"

"They called my parents. Mom and Dad would have come, but-" David cleared his throat and Lizzie looked at him with a respectful nod.

"I think this is something we need to say." David put his hand to Trina's back and l think Holly should tell you." Holly lifted her head with a subtle whimper and wringed her hands together nervously.

"What's wrong?" Trina sat beside her mother and looked up at her father. His expression seemed to have aged by a decade and his eyes were wavering from Holly as a heavy breath fell from his mouth. "Jesus, why are you two acting like the world's about to end?"

"Isn't it?" Holly asked. "I never wanted this to come. I knew it was going to eventually, but I never thought." Holly breathed in sharply and lifted her hands into the air. "I just have to come out with it. You're eighteen now, you deserve to know. First off, that's your sister right there."

"What?" She felt a shift in the air and moved her hand to her chest, wincing as tension spread across her chest. "I don't get it, is that some kind of birthday joke?" She chuckled at her mother and studied her closely. Holly's head was bowed and her eyes closed, frown lines extended down the corners of her mouth. Trina's heart stopped and she furrowed her brow. Confusion and concern wracked her body, she couldn't think of what to say. "She doesn't look like you guys."

"That is because she's not our daughter." Holly rolled her eyes and leaned back into the couch. "And I-you know we love you, right?" She felt a strange feeling crawling up her spine. Something was amiss her.

David taught her to read body language and pick up on the signals from others. Her mother was acting like she was guilty, if she had a tail it would be between her legs. The way Lizzie was standing, her body was tense and her face was filled with worry. She had her lip tucked under her teeth and was staring at Holly as in deep contemplation. It was as if she were trying to figure out who the woman was and preparing for something to crash down.

Whatever this news was, it was bad. Trina took a deep breath and closed her hands on her pant leg. "Okay, so this is serious. What's going on, mom?" She took another look at David. "Even dad's looking at you like he's trying to figure out whether you're his wife or a criminal…Which is the strangest thing I've ever seen from him-and that says _a lot."_

She didn't think she was adopted, but if she had been, why would her parents never tell her this? "Am I adopted or something?" If Lizzie wasn't their daughter, but her sister, then then adoption would make sense."

"No," David answered with a solemn tone. His hand moved to her shoulder and his eyes mixed in with hers. "We love you very much, always have and always will, but it's time you know the truth. I…only just recently discovered it myself. I always thought I your father, but it turns out, you're not our child by birth."

She scratched her earlobe and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry dad, what?" Surely she heard incorrectly. He was saying she wasn't adopted, but wasn't their child either. Confliction gnawed at her with sharp fangs, threatening to tear her apart. "What? Did you like lift me from a hospital or something?" She threw her hair over her shoulder, chuckling loudly.

Her chuckling ceased when she saw the depressed and serious looks on her parents' faces. Immediately she jumped to her feet, opening her mouth and stumbling over her words with disbelief. "You wouldn't do something like that! Dad, you're a cop, you'd never break the law-"

His lips pressed together and small lines stretched outward from them. "I never have. I found out a couple months ago, I'm just as shocked as you are" Her eyes moved to her mother, who flinched at that moment. "Holly and I got engaged around the time you were born. I was still in the Navy around the time and she was a nurse at a hospital. I missed your birth, if that says anything."

"And? What are you saying?"

"The baby didn't make it," Holly replied sadly. "I worked in the maternity ward. There was a couple there that had just had a baby. That baby was staying overnight because the doctors thought she wouldn't live through the night. I knew the couple had an almost five year old daughter, and I was under such grief that-"

"You _stole_ the-are you saying what I-No!" She took a step back, shaking her head as Holly began to tear up. All of a sudden breathing was a monumental task. "Why would you do something like that? You're lying aren't you?" These were her parents, the people that raised her, but as of this moment she wasn't sure what to feel. "Truth. I want the truth!"

"You're my baby." Holly reached up, holding Trina's hands and looking into her eyes. "I loved you like my own, even though you were someone else's. I was there when you were born, I helped with-" Her heart sank and she whisked her hands away from Holly. "You hate me?"

"I don't know. I don't know what to think…" Now was the wrong time to ask that, but she understood the woman's worry. Still, how could she carry a lie for so long? "I think I have to process." She looked at Lizzie with a frown and turned fully towards the woman. "What about you? Your mom and dad, they…"

Lizzie closed her eyes and raised her shoulders, her arms were folded tightly across her abdomen. "The doctors couldn't explain what happened, a couple nurses had already left and moved elsewhere." Her forehead tensed as her eyelids lifted halfway so she could gaze out at Holly. "The police investigated, but they never found anything. The trail went cold and they stopped looking after a year. Mom and dad looked after us pretty closely over the years."

"Us?"

"Yeah, um, Mrs. Vega didn't mention…" Lizzie cleared her throat and reached up, scratching behind her ear. "In 1993, mom had twins. A boy and a girl. Matt was able to come home and they didn't think you were going to make it." Trina's eyes widened and she twisted her head around, flaring her nostrils at Holly. "I mean maybe that's why she thought it would be okay? I don't know."

"How did you even get away with this, Mom!"

"Your dad was coming back from the Navy and we were to be stationed here in Los Angeles. It just happened that way, I wanted to be honest, I wanted to take you back, but…when your father held you for the first time, I couldn't bear losing you."

"I need some time. I can't stand you guys dropping all this on me like this!" She looked at the stairs where Tori had been watching. Her wide brown eyes seemed to clash with her now freshly white skin, and her hands were clutching the rail as if they were attempting to break it. "I think you'd better talk to your real daughter. It looks like she's about to have a meltdown." Holly put her hands to her chest and looked up at Tori. "I need some air."

She marched towards the door, grabbing her purse off the end table beside it. When she glanced over her shoulder, she saw Lizzie shake and turn to the door. "I probably need to go too. My friends are waiting at the motel, I uh-I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" Her gaze flickered back to her alleged parents. David was leaning forward, clasping the top of the couch with his hands as Holly stared blankly at her feet. "Seems they have more to say than you right now."

"I didn't know what was going to happen." Lizzie took a deep breath and smiled politely. "I think it would be good to think, but don't stay too angry at them. They did raise you. Mom and dad wanted to come, but I thought it would be better if I came on my own."

"Why?"

"Mr. Vega contacted us. Your mom told him and he looked for our number, mom and dad are very upset and I didn't think a fight would be good. I also knew if Matt came along it wouldn't end well either. I was hoping to cause as little trouble as possible."

"Be angry too, you're the one that lost a sister." Lizzie was right, though. Everyone needed time to calm down. She closed her eyes and slowly pushed open the door. "You had to know there was going to be some drama." She paused for the moment and looked towards the others. "You know, let's um…walk and talk. I'm starting to feel a little sick."

* * *

So this is going to be fun. There's not really a "battle" going on, though to understand the Vega family case they're afraid they may lose a daughter. Trina loves them very deeply, so she'll always want to be a part of their family too, but there may be some urging on their part for her to "decide" if she wants to be with them or the birth family. Though indecision is part of what has her torn in half because she will want to know her birth family and be with them but she'll want to be with the ones that raised her too, and this can cause some upset feelings on both sides. I think the mothers are going to be fairly obvious in regards to what I mean.


	2. Conflicting Emotions

Stuck in the Middle

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: So the setting here is 2011, trust and enjoy. Trina is middle ground here. While she loves her family, she's trying to basically give time them. The birth will be trying to get to know her and not be pulling too much, the one that raised her will pull a little out of fear. She tries to keep a cool head. It's a lot to process.

* * *

Chapter 2 (Emotions Clash)

"I can't believe this." Trina let out an angered shout into the air and snapped a branch from a tree as she and Lizzie walked down the street. They'd been out for twenty minutes and she was still fuming. "Eighteen years I've been living a damn lie, dealing with an annoying little sister a busybody dad and a mom that I now realize was operating with a guilt complex."

"I know all about the annoying sibling," Lizzie laughed, "Matt and I had a lot of battles when we were younger. At least you've never been handcuffed to your little sister, right?" Trina rolled her eyes and curved up the corner of her lip. She would actually enjoy seeing Tori handcuffed to a fencepost. "You'd like him, though."

"He's a twin, you said?" It was difficult to stomach the idea of having another family out there she'd never known about. "I feel like I don't know anything about my life anymore, am I even Latina?"

"Well, there is Latin on dad's side. Some, though, he's more Irish than anything and Grandma's the Latina." She chuckled softly and moved her hand up to scratch at her neck. "And yeah, he's your fraternal twin. He wanted to come but I said no…" Trina frowned as Lizzie ran her hand through her hair. "The way he, mom and dad have been acting since Mrs. Vega called, I think they should cool down first. It's hard for them."

"I can imagine. You seem pretty calm about it."

"I'm pissed too, but I know it's not an easy situation so…" Lizzie looked over her shoulder and sighed. "I was almost five so I don't remember much about Mrs. Vega other than she was one of the few nurses at the hospital talking to mom and dad. I always…imagined her to be different."

"Different? Different how?"

"Meaner. Evil. It seems silly to think of it like that, since she's just a human being. I just didn't think she'd have so much remorse. Mom and dad are tossing around the idea of reporting her. They understand she was upset and wanted a child of her own, but…"

''A crime is still a crime, but I don't want to think about that right now." She tossed the tree branch to the side and watched as a passing car ran over it. Her arms moved over her stomach as it churned and she tucked her lip under her teeth. "Maybe you can tell me more about your-our family. Or maybe your friends and stuff, whichever's easier."

"Well, you want to be eased into everything or do you want to know everything at once?"

"Eased?" Sure she wanted to know everything about her family at once, but right now it felt more like a volcanic eruption was pending. She wanted to know a little more about Lizzie before knowing this family as a whole.

"Then I'll start with my friends. Gordo, or David Gordon-but he prefers Gordo, and Miranda. Been my best friends my whole life. Actually, Gordo and I have been going out for a few years." Trina smiled at the girl and kicked a stone off the sidewalk. "Miranda's also Latina, so you two might just get along there."

"Maybe. It must be nice, dating your best friend without worrying about the other one becoming a third wheel."

"We've done our best to make sure that doesn't happen. We've had pretty good practice since we've already done pretty much everything together." Lizzie pat her back and smiled at her. "How about you? Any good friends of your own?"

Trina smirked and looked into the distance. "You mean any I haven't evidently run off yet? If you listen to Tori." She crossed her arms and gently pat her hand onto her forearm. "Tori gets a lot of things misinterpreted, then tells people an unintentionally twisted version?"

"Such as?"

"I used to have a best friend, Lindsay, who moved away. Tori thought we got into some argument because we don't talk anymore-neither of us could afford the long distance calls when she moved. Then we just lost touch." She tucked her hair behind her ear and paused as she thought of other friends she had. "Some years ago I had a great friend who turned into some popular cheerleader type, and of course we drifted apart."

"Reminds me of Kate." Trina scrunched her face and looked towards Lizzie.

"Who's that?"

"Friend of mine. We were friends for a while, then she became popular and we weren't friends. We're actually friends now, so it's a good thing. The whole thing's a long story, so forgive me if I don't really feel like going into details."

"It's fine." She knew some people like that herself, so it wasn't something she didn't understand. "How do you like Los Angeles? You sound like you're not from around here."

"It's not bad. I was born up in Washington DC, actually. Dad had a brief stint on the secret service for a while." Trina's eyebrows shot up and she started to visualize the man, though it was hard to without a picture. She was afraid to ask for a photo of the parents only because she didn't know how she was going to react. "We moved to New York when I was four…"

"Oh." Her stomach knotted up and her head bowed as she listened to the girl's voice drop. "I guess that means I was born in New York, then. Thought I'd been a California girl all my life." She laughed nervously and Lizzie's shoulders rose.

"Still are. Besides, we moved to Sacramento in '96. Been there ever since."

"Really?" It was nearly six hours north, but still a little disheartening to hear they'd been that close all these years. "I can't believe you guys were so close."

"Yeah…" Lizzie clasped her hands at her waist and closed her eyes. After a minute she smiled at Trina. "You know something funny?" Trina shifted her gaze over and shrugged. "Gordo and I have literally known each other all our lives. He was born in DC too, but he moved to California before our family."

Trina laughed briskly and pocketed her hands. "That's got to be fate." She heard a rustling from behind and looked over her shoulder in time to see a flash of brown hair jump around the corner of a building. She squinted her eyes and shook her head, ignoring the sight. "So, when do I get to meet Gordo and Miranda? Didn't you say they came down with you?"

"Yeah, the drive was hectic. Gordo had to do most of the driving because I couldn't." She could see the emotion on Lizzie's face. The drive must have been an emotional one for her, which she could understand.

"It must have been nerve-wracking."

"I was trying to work out all the things I would say and figuring out what could possibly happen. I think we assumed Holly told you, but really nothing can prepare anyone for a situation like that."

"True." She paused on the thought of the girl's friends, there was a sense of familiarity about their names though she was sure she never met them. "I thought Robbie had a cousin named Gordon."

"Robbie?"

"Yeah, Robbie Shapiro. I could have sworn the guy visited once a few years ago, though I didn't personally meet him." Lizzie rubbed her chin while Trina held her breath. The thought that someone so close to her real family could have been so close to her was frightening.

"Robert Shapiro. The name does ring a bell. Is he Jewish? Gordo is Jewish. I think his mom's sister married someone with that surname. I'd have to ask, as much as I know the guy, we've never really talked about his mother's family. He does have a lot of relatives."

She was eager to meet these two friends of hers, especially since it might make this whole day easier to deal with. "What hotel are they at?"

"Super 8, but I'll call them and have them meet up somewhere. If you're hungry, we can grab some actual food. I've never physically been in LA, so maybe you'd like to show us around?"

"That would be great, there's a lot of fun stuff here. I've never been to Sacramento either, so maybe you can show me around there one day." She hesitated and tensed for a moment. She wasn't sure if she was ready to go to Sacramento, or to meet her birth parents when she'd only just found all of this out.

Lizzie read her expression and pat her on the shoulder, "One thing at a time. I'm not going to rush you to Sacramento until you're ready, okay? Remember, I basically just met you too." Trina reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. Her heart skipped a beat and she looked away with a deep breath.

"Well to be fair, you've known about me your entire life, just not where or who I was." Hell, if David never convinced Holly to make the call, she might never know the truth. "I don't feel like I want mom to be arrested, but, I know she's going to get in serious trouble. Dad, on the other hand…Whatever, let's just go."

"Yeah."

They met up with Lizzie's friends at a fancy diner that Trina had not gone to, which was surprising. "So what are you doing for college?" She flinched at Gordo's question. She'd not given a lot of thought to college, but she'd only just turned eighteen.

She turned her eyes to the curly haired man, studying him close. He did resemble Robbie in some ways, but with shorter hair and a more mature face. "I don't know. I was looking around at community colleges, but I'd really like to start next spring."

"Might be a good idea," Miranda sipped on a peach martini and shrugged. "I mean, given the whole family thing."

"I do have some thinking to do, I guess." She peered down at her iced tea and stirred it gently with the straw. She was the only one not drinking wine, but of course that wasn't going to happen with her being underage.

Trina turned her eyes up and caught yet another fleeting glimpse of brown hair in the doorway. She moved her eyebrows inwards and closed her fingers into her palm. "You know. They're still my family too. My dad, mom, little sister. They raised me. I don't hate them because mom took me away from my family, but it is hard to think about how to view them right now. I'm angry, hurt, conflicted..." She leaned forward and pushed her hands into her hair, sighing heavily. "College is the last thing on my mind now."

"Take your time," Lizzie reached over and pat Trina's hand, looking at her with a warm comforting gaze. "Nobody is asking you to hate your family, I can understand why you'd be upset. You don't need to rush into anything that you're not ready for, and as for me? I'm really glad that I got a chance to meet you." Trina slipped her hands around her drink and let her shoulders fall.

"I want to meet them, Lizzie." She inhaled and swallowed hard as her brow furrowed. "My brother Matt, my real mom and dad, I want to meet them. I don't know if they're afraid I'll turn them away or something-but I won't. I mean, I don't know anything about them yet and I'll admit I'm scared to ask, but I want to know them."

"I'll tell you anything you want to know, Trina. Ask away."

"Okay, well…first off, what's my birth name?" She had to know if it was changed or if she still had that correct. Lizzie bowed her head with a chuckle and curled her fingers through her hair.

"No worries there, Mrs. Vega didn't change your name. It surprised us when she said 'Katrina'. Trina's heart jumped up and she moved her hand to her chest, relieved that she could still hold that.

Trina pressed her lips together and turned her gaze down. The next question was heavy on her tongue and hard to get out, but she had to know what they looked like. "I'm afraid I'm going to break." Lizzie tilted her head and parted her lips gently. "If you have a picture, I would…I'd really like to see it."

"I do." Lizzie reached into her purse and removed a brown wallet. Trina felt her heart grow still as a nervous ache spread through her bones. Her eyes hung over the wallet and her eyes started to water. "Here." Lizzie handed the object over, showing the photo in the center fold.

Trina held it in her hands like one would an extremely fragile object. She moved a hand to her chest and choked out a sob. "How recent is it?" The boy in the photograph was clearly her brother, he looked closer to her age and had a similar oval shaped head. His hair was short and with spikes in the front, and his mouth was open in a cocky grin.

"Taken last year."

The mom's blonde hair was up in a bun, and she wore brown framed rectangular glasses. There was a peaceful, serene look on her face that matched the proud smile on her husband's face. Of course Trina's attention was drawn to the man that should be her father.

His right arm was around his wife's shoulder and his left hand rested gently on his seated daughter's shoulder. He wore thin glasses and had wavy brown hair. "Oh my god." Trina moved her hand to her mouth and closed her eyes. "My dad-not this man-has straight hair. Not wavy like mine, like this man." She leaned forward and saw matching eyes and the same shaped face she had. "Not to mention, dad has a square face."

"You do look like our dad, I'll say that." Trina pulled her hair back and held it in her hand. Her chest began to ache as she continued to study the photograph. "If you'd like, you can take the picture. I have plenty that can take it's place."

"Can I?"

"Yes."

On the other side of the diner, Tori poked her head around a pillar she was hiding behind. It was next to the bathroom and a good vantage point. She studied Trina with a frown. She hadn't meant when she said Trina ought to find another sister if she wanted one so badly, and now that she saw this, there was risk.

Most of her time spent with Trina was arguing, but at least it was something. "What if Trina likes this sister better?" She needed to do something, but nothing was coming to mind. She was still just as shocked to hear the news her parents came up with. "Trina wouldn't choose blood over non-blood, would she? If she doesn't stay, then what'll happen? I'll be bored…"

Her phone startled her and she answered it with haste. "Why are you talking fast?" Jade asked after she finished her greeting. Tori stiffened and closed her eyes. Jade didn't need to know what was going on, not this time. Of all the things she may have talked about, her family's secret was probably not on the top of the list for her friends to know.

"Um, just following my sister around town."

"What? Why?"

"I uh…I'm bored." She swallowed heavily and looked back at her sister. Trina was getting a hug from Lizzie. A flicker of jealousy struck her and she shook her head. "Jade, do you think I pay enough attention to my sister?"

"Why should I care? Why do you?"

"Just answer the question."

"I don't know. Maybe? Maybe not?"

"Okay, thanks." She pulled the phone from her ear and rolled her eyes, whispering to herself. "For nothing."

* * *

Let me state right now what my CJ instructor has told me in regards to reporting a kidnapping. A lot of times, especially if it's within a family unit, it might be unreported. This is to be the case here in which the McGuire family will leave the decision on whether or not to report Holly up to Trina out of understanding that irregardless of the crime against them, this woman has raised Trina for 18 years.


	3. First Compromise

Stuck in the Middle

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N: Let me state right now what my CJ instructor has told me in regards to reporting a kidnapping. A lot of times, especially if it's within a family unit, it might be unreported. This is to be the case here in which the McGuire family will leave the decision on whether or not to report Holly up to Trina out of understanding that irregardless of the crime against them, this woman has raised Trina for 18 years.

* * *

Chapter 3 (Compromise)

"They're leaving the decision up to you." Lizzie and Trina were discussing whether or not to turn Holly in for a kidnapping charge. Since Trina knew a few things in regards to criminal justice and the court system, she was aware that Holly could face up to eight years in prison. Only, this was California law and not New York, where the actual crime had taken place.

"Why are you leaving it up to me whether or not to report?"

"She's the woman that raised you and you're a legal adult capable of making the decision." Lizzie dipped her plastic spoon into the frozen yogurt they were eating and started to stir it. Trina watched with a heart swelling with uncertainty. "Mom and Dad want justice, but they want to see you more. They also understand that as much as they want to see her punished for taking their child, they don't want to subject you to any further stress."

"That's still a pretty heavy load." It was not a decision she wanted to make in any way, but she was grateful still. Lizzie pulled her spoon up to her lips and leaned back in the chair.

"I think that's part of their reasoning, is that maybe you won't take it lightly. They're angry to the point that they probably would take the action right away where you might not want to put your family through that."

"I appreciate that."

"I know it must be stressful for you regardless, I just want you to know I'm here for you." Trina curled her lips up and closed her eyes, relishing in the comfort she was being given. Lizzie didn't have to do any of this, so she was extremely grateful to have the girl here. "I finally get to spend some time with my sister, I don't think I could pass up on the opportunity."

"Well I'm glad you're not. As for mom, I almost think all of this is punishment enough. I just-I think I need time before making that decision." She had to also be certain if there was a statute of limitations on kidnapping.

She knew California did have a statute on kidnapping, and it may be well past that limit by now, but she wasn't sure about New York. Not to mention, she had no way of knowing for sure which state would be the one to process her. It would truly mean a lot of stress on the family, and a lot of it was not what she wanted to put on them or herself.

Trina had an urge to change the subject, still feeling uncomfortable over discussing the potential fate of her mother. "So, something to talk about. This city, you think you'd run into more celebrities here." Lizzie pressed her lips together and slowly curled them into a smirk, which stunned Trina.

"I've met plenty up in Sacramento." Her jaw dropped and she quickly shook her head, demanding to know more. Her elder sibling laughed and spooned some more of her frozen yogurt. "Let's see. I've seen and met Aaron Carter, I've dated Frankie Muniz, Steven Tyler sang in a parade while riding a float my team made…"

"No fair!" It sounded like Lizzie had a full teenage life, she was almost envious. At the same time, she was grateful not to have worry about all the constant attention that would have surrounded these events. "I probably would have loved it when I was younger, but it seems like it'd be hard to-you said you dated Frankie Muniz?"

"Yep, and even posed as a famous singer in Italy for a little bit."

"Damn!" She paused and extended a palm. "Please tell me you're not obsessed with fame and stardom. I used to love the attention, but dealing with a sister who _has _to sing for someone every other day pretty much killed that." Lizzie laughed briskly and shook her head.

"No worries there Trina, I've given up those celebrity days. I had enough once I got to see first-hand just how crazed mobs could be. Twice." Lizzie's eyebrows flattened and she brushed her fingers across her head. "I love just living an average normal life."

"Normal, huh?" She leaned back and slid her palms across the table, sighing heavily. "Say that again?" Lizzie's eyebrow rose and she repeated herself with a smile. It brought a chill of pleasure to Trina's spine. "What _do_ you do for a living?"

"Right now? Well I'm still home with mom and dad. I've got a bachelor degree in child development and education, so I'm looking to get a job teaching somewhere."

"Sounds like a plan. What's Matt doing?"

"Same thing as you, taking a break before college. He's wanting to major in business administration. His girlfriend, Malina, is thinking of majoring in Political Science." Lizzie swept her fingers through her hair and leaned forward. "Those two running things, I fear for our nation. Just wait until you've met them."

"They still sound like fun."

"Oh they are. Matt's best friend Lenny's going to college on a football scholarship." She was thrilled hearing about all these people, and at least it sounded like the family had done well for themselves. "My friends, Miranda's a choir teacher at Hillridge Junior High, and Gordo's a software engineer for Microsoft. He tried to become a director, but that didn't work out too well."

"Still, it sounds like he's got a good job."

"He does. Makes good money."

"What do your parents do?"

"Dad works cyber security, and mom has always stayed at home." Hearing about them was exciting as it was nerve-wracking. She was not ready to go to Sacramento, but she truly wanted to meet these people.

"You know. I think I want to meet them, I'm just a little anxious." She ran her hand over her shoulder and pursed her lips. "The thought of driving six hours to Sacramento isn't exactly comforting either. I mean, not with the anticipation and nerves."

"Totally understand."

To her right she saw Miranda and Gordo walking towards them, both on either side of Tori. Trina rolled her eyes and moved her hand up to her forehead as Lizzie turned over her shoulder. Tori was being dragged by the two, and looking less than thrilled to be there. "This person was watching you guys from outside," Miranda started, "She says she's Trina's sister, so we didn't call the police or anything."

"Sister?" Trina met Tori's eyes with a smirk and lifted her eyebrows as the girl responded only with a nervous chuckle. "It amazes me to think my sister would be following me around town." She put her hand to her chest and watched the girl begin to sweat. "Why would my little sister possibly want to follow me?"

"Curiosity?" Tori replied shrugging her hands and shoulders. Trina curled a finger over her lip. "What makes you think I've been following you around town?"

"I've seen you." Trina pulled her hand away and waved it in the air. "She's my sister, you guys can let her go now." They did so and Tori pulled away rubbing her arms. Tori then moved forward and leaned over the table, gazing into Trina's eyes with her own large, almond shaped gaze. "What's the problem?"

"I just want to know if you're coming back home."

"Of course, I only just found out about everything. I need some time." Trina folded her hands on the table and looked over to Lizzie. Tori followed her gaze. "This is Lizzie, short for Elizabeth. And Lizzie, meet Victoria, my little sister that's been following us around all day."

"Have not." Tori crossed her arms, huffing angrily. Trina shook her head and Lizzie extended a hand. The blonde smiled politely while the brunette hesitated to bring her hand out for a handshake.

"Good to meet you, Tori."

"You too…" Tori folded her arms and looked to Trina with a smile. "You know, Lizzie. Trina's not all that girly, she's very athletic and strong." Trina raised an eyebrow and leaned back slowly. She thought herself as girlish, it was possible to be a 'girly-girl' and athletic at the same time.

Lizzie laughed once and turned to Trina with a smile. "How great! You know in the seventh grade I was in rhythmic gymnastics." She gasped and watched as Tori's jaw dropped. "I actually play football with my brother and his friend from time to time. Don't get me wrong, I love designer clothes and purses as much as the next girl, but I don't see why that would prevent me from being athletic."

"I did worry about that once," Trina admitted. Lizzie hummed gently and furrowed her brow. "Before going to this martial arts camp a couple years ago, I was always afraid people would be intimidated that I was on the track team or I liked to join the basketball team after school to shoot hoops."

"Oh, I've been through that crisis myself."

"You have?"

"Yep, back in the eighth grade." Lizzie snapped her fingers and glanced over as Tori sat down at the table. "Playing flag football with Ethan Craft, and in gym I set the record for longest held pull up." She was amazed to hear the news, especially since she often wondered why no one else in her family was athletic like she was. Except her dad, who played baseball in high school. "Remember that cheerleader I mentioned? Kate?"

"Yeah."

"I never had a problem being athletic until she decided to start mocking me for it. I talked to our P.E. coach who got me to realize there was nothing wrong with being athletic." Trina's heart lifted with enthusiasm as her cheeks and lips rose. This was the first time she ever had anyone to talk to that had been through life enough to give her advice, and she loved it. "Gymnastics wasn't for me in the long run, but I have no problem keeping in shape. You said you were on the track team?"

"I ran cross-country." She snapped her fingers upon recalling other activities that she'd been involved in. "I also started a martial arts club in the tenth grade, our activities coach was the sponsor."

She could see Tori's eyes darting erratically from her and Lizzie. The girl's fingers curled into her palm and her lower lip began to quiver as her eyebrows moved inwards. "I didn't know we had anything like basketball or track at Hollywood Arts," Tori blurted.

"That's because Hollywood Arts focuses primarily on talents like singing and dancing and it isn't a regular high school." Trina met Tori's eyes and spoke in a quiet tone. "You do realize that I only attended Hollywood Arts as a secondary school and was involved in a primary high school, right? Otherwise how else was I going to get a diploma that colleges and employers take seriously?"

"You-" Tori's lips flattened together and she slowly shook her head. "I didn't know their high school diploma wasn't valued."

"Well that's something they don't tell you, Tori. There's a reason that Hollywood Arts is considered 'easy', because the diploma they give you only requires that you take certain classes such as theatre, painting, choir, and so on. They don't teach you chemistry, history-unless it's the history of art, geometry…"

Tori's jaw tightened and she closed her eyes. "At least I still get a diploma."

"Yeah, but I asked around, most colleges don't like seeing that on a college application. The University of California says they urge their applicants to go to a community college if they have a diploma from Hollywood Arts, _then_ they'll take you once you get an associate's. Even employers prefer diplomas from more established high schools."

"Oh…" Tori moved her fingers to her forehead and forced out a heavy breath. "Maybe you should stick around then, Trina." Her lips parted with a chuckle. It wasn't hard to see what Tori was doing, but she didn't think Tori had any reason to fear. "I might need that help and advice."

"I don't know, you seem to get everything you need from your friends. You don't need me." The right corner of her lip pulled up and Tori's mouth fell open. Trina stifled a laugh and whisked her eyes away. "So Lizzie, back to before, it's amazing to hear you're athletic. There's a rec center at the park, we could go there some time and hang."

"Or," Tori interrupted, "You could come see my performance at the school instead, Trina!" Trina stopped herself from yet another laugh and folded her hands over on the table.

"I don't know Tori, I'm not too interested in listening to anybody sing. I've got a lot on my mind, usually activity keeps me from thinking too much about the stuff that bothers me." Tori frowned. Trina shrugged and slowly shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with hearing you sing, but just sitting there listening to a bunch of people perform isn't going to keep me from stressing out over the obvious issues that just came up."

"I have to go back to Sacramento for a couple days," Lizzie stated. Trina's heart sank and she glanced back to the girl. "I'll be back on Friday, but Wednesday I need to head back."

"Maybe we can head to the rec center on Tuesday then?"

Tori let out a whine that pulled her attention back to her, "But Trina that's my performance. I wanted my whole family to be there."

"You honestly aren't going to miss me, Tori." She didn't see where this had ever been an issue in the past. Usually the girl was just fine with her friends' presence along with David and Holly. "Look at it this way, I won't be there to embarrass you."

"But I didn't say-"

"You always say I embarrass you. Your friends don't even like me. Face it, I have no reason to be there. I want to hang out with my-" She paused and looked towards Lizzie with a smile. "Apparent birth sister." She always wanted an older sibling, someone to look up to and get advice from.

"You know Matt was always annoying," Miranda pat Tori on the shoulder and lifted her eyebrows as the girl looked up to the raven haired Mexican. "But Lizzie never let anyone talk down about him. Gordo and I always treated him with respect too."

"My friends like Trina. They _can_ like her."

"Since when?" Trina laughed. "Are you just saying that so I'll go to that performance of yours and not go to the rec center with Lizzie?"

"What? No!" Tori chuckled nervously and shifted her eyes off to the left. "M-My friends have never done anything to say they didn't like you. Have they?" Tori stuttered and began to shake. Trina clicked her tongue and slowly rose from the table.

Annoyed, her tone grew terse. "You _know_ all the things they've done." She narrowed her eyes as Tori appeared to shrink before her glare. "Don't feign ignorance and use them to pretend you're finally deciding to take an interest."

Lizzie pursed her lips and stood up, studying both of them. "If there's still time, we can always go to the performance afterwards." Trina turned her head and raised an eyebrow at Lizzie. "I mean, if your sister wants you to be there, then why not go?" Trina pulled her purse up on her shoulder and turned slightly towards the girl.

"You don't know Tori. The last thing she ever wants is for me to show up at one of her things."

"Yeah, but she's still your sister. Blood or not, and whether or not she cares, it's good to show support. I'd always do that for Matt, even though he constantly got on my nerves."

"Okay…" Trina put her hands to her waist and twisted her lips. "I finally get an older sister, and already you're being an older sibling."

Lizzie laughed and lifted her shoulders. "I've had years of experience in that department. We can hang at that rec center for a while, and if you're feeling up to it then, we should definitely swing by Tori's performance."

"I guess…" Trina watched as a toothy grin spread across Tori's face. A sigh of defeat fell from her lips and she turned her mouth to a tiny smile. "We'll see, but you'd better not start anything, Tori."

"I won't," Tori moved her hand to her chest and nodded abruptly. "I promise." It was a compromise, and one Trina was aware Tori didn't want, but it was the best she was going to receive. At least she could relax at the rec center and clear her head before going to the performance, so her mind shouldn't be too cluttered with everything that was going on.

* * *

So there were quite a few things discussed here, and some obvious signs showing up. Hope you've enjoyed the chapter.


	4. A Tense Atmosphere

Stuck in the Middle

Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 4 (Tense Atmosphere)

Trina entered her house and found David and Holly sitting together on the couch. David's arm was around his wife's shoulders and her face was buried in her hands. "Mom? Dad?" They glanced over to her and Trina's body tensed. "They've agreed to leave the ball in my court on what to do. You're the parents I grew up with and you're Tori's parents, I don't want to see you torn apart." Holly's eyes widened and her hands slipped down to her chest.

"They're not going to press charges?" Holly stammered out her words and Trina lifted her shoulders. "I'm sure they want to."

"Oh they do. They're definitely angry." The woman bowed her head. Trina's heart sank as she studied her mother. "The statute of limitations may be passed anyway, but they're giving me the option because like I said…they understand you're the people I've known as family."

Not to mention if she did turn her mother in, she'd have to turn her father in as well for the period of time after Holly told him the truth and he did not do anything.

"Then what happens now?" David pulled away from Holly and stood facing Trina. He pushed his hands over his waist and tucked his thumbs into his belt. "Will you leave us to stay with them?" She hesitated for the moment and replied with a gentle shrug.

"I mean, I want to know who they are. I want to get to know them and spend time with them-already my sister's pretty great. I don't plan on abandoning the people who raised me, no, but you do understand how much my birth parents went through." She crossed her arms and watched her mom tense.

"I don't want to lose my baby!" Holly cried. David's shoulders fell and he raised his hand to his forehead with a heavy sigh. Trina's lips pursed as she moved her gaze to the stairwells. It would be a quick escape before the tension she felt beginning could possibly fester. "I'm going to lose my baby."

David turned his head over his shoulder. "Your baby?" A vein popped out of his neck as his face darkened. "Holly, I don't think we have any right to talk at this point." Trina held her breath, waiting for a fight to begin.

Instead, Holly simply looked up at her husband with wide, tear-filled eyes and open lips. David turned away and flashed a sad smile. "Trina, you may not be my daughter by blood, but I just want you to know. I am proud of you, and I love you." His words warmed her heart, seemingly drawing her in. "Whatever you decide to do…it's up to you. If you want to get to know your birth family, that's your right."

"Don't say that, David! She'll leave us."

David scratched at his forehead once more and closed his eyes. "Would you shut up before you make things worse than they are?" He was right, they had a good thing going here because Lizzie's family understood how much Trina may value these people. Not many would be willing to cast aside their own lust for vengeance in this way. Trina had a great deal of respect for them in that regard.

"Mom, I don't think you have anything to worry about." So long as no one pushed too hard, she still wanted to be a part of their lives. "I'm not angry with you, I just needed a little time to clear my head. I think I know what I want to do, and I want both my families in my life. First, I just want to see what my birth family's like."

"Why shouldn't I worry?" Trina raised an eyebrow as her mother stood up and staggered over to her. The woman reached up with trembling hands, extending them out before Trina's face. She gazed into her mother's red, swollen eyes and frowned at Holly's trembling lips. "You know you weren't adopted legally. How do I know you won't hate me, that you won't resent me? How do I know you won't love them more? Will they treat you better than we have? There are so many fears I have…"

"Mom, listen-"

"She has a right to her family." David placed a strong hand on Holly's shoulder. His face hardened as Holly turned to look back at her. "Don't ask her to not see these people. She deserves that much, and you know as well as I do that they deserve it too."

Holly threw her hands down with a sob. "I know that, David. I just-" Holly turned her mournful eyes back to Trina, then dropped them to the side. "I've been absent from both my children's lives for so long, it hardly seems fair that the time I want to be a good mother to them again…that all this happens."

"You want to discuss fairness, Holly?" He crossed his arms and his voice began to rise. "What did you think was going to happen when she found out?" Trina winced at his tone and took a step back, swallowing down the anxiety building up in her. "Look, she's already said she's not going to abandon us as her family, so we're just going to have to accept that." He snapped his arm out, gesturing to Trina. "She's been given the option to turn you in or not by people who very well _should_, and she's giving you the benefit of the doubt! That, right now, is the 'fairest' option because you're getting off easy. If I may be frank."

Trina chuckled nervously and made a step towards the stairs. "I'm going to go take a nap, I've still got a little bit of a headache…" Her parents stopped and David glanced over with concern. Before he had a chance to say anything, Trina walked as fast as she could towards the stairs.

At best she would have liked to avoid listening to her parents argue. "I fail to see a problem," she muttered while closing the door to her room. Why didn't her mother understand she wasn't going to abandon her? Yes a crime had been committed, and Trina was still angry that it took place, but she knew who it was that raised her. There was no doubt in her mind who her parents were, so maybe Holly would come to the realization in time.

She removed her purse and set it down on the stand beside her bed. As she turned to the dresser against the wall, her eyes moved towards the mirror attached to it.

The figure gazing back at her seemed so different now, yet held the same appearance and the same emotions. She lifted her hand, sweeping her fingers along her cheekbones and slowly tracing them along her jaw.

For the first time she noticed every feature, every trait, and mentally she was comparing them to that of the people she'd known all her life. While Tori and her mother had a silkier feel to their skin despite a rough appearance, hers was more soft like a pillow. Her jaw was firmer than that of Holly's, but nowhere near as firm as David's.

Trina's brow furrowed as her fingers traced over her lips, there was a plumpness to them that mirrored that of Lizzie's rather than Tori's or Holly's. Perhaps the most telltale sign was that of a forgotten trait.

Slowly her hand slid down to her shoulder where her fingers wrapped around a strand of her hair. There was a tightness in her chest and a heaviness encroaching upon her eyes. There were no pictures of her birth at the hospital, but the earliest photo of her was as a two year old child. Her hair had been much lighter at the time, almost entirely blonde. She always thought little of it because her hair darkened to brunette by the time she was six.

"Even my head is shaped differently than theirs." She had a rounder shaped head while Tori's was shaped more like a heart like Holly's. When they were younger, they called David a blockhead because his head held a squarer appearance.

The silence in her room was broken by her cell phone piercing into her ears. She jumped and reached for her purse, digging into it for the phone. The number was unknown to her, but had a Sacramento area code. Stunned someone would be calling her from there, she answered.

"Hi, is this Katrina?" The voice belonged to someone that sounded like a teenage girl, so it couldn't be her birth mother. She stammered for a minute and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Yeah, I'm Trina. Who's calling?"

"My name is Malina. Matt and I kind of grabbed your number from Lizzie." Trina's hand moved up to her chest and her breathing grew slow. "He told me I shouldn't call you and let Lizzie handle everything because he didn't want to scare you off or anything, but curiosity got the best of me." Her lips turned up and she lifted her hand, whisking away a tear from her eyelids.

"Matt. My brother? You must be his girlfriend. Lizzie told me about you, not much but still I recognize your name."

"Yeah, we were all waiting around the house to hear from her. I had to get back to my place to deal with some work. I know they told me not to bother you, but-"

"It's okay. It's good to hear from someone else over there." She heard her father's voice from downstairs and turned over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow as the tightness in her chest returned. "Is it as dramatic over there as it is over here?"

"Um, what is meant by that? There's a lot of tension and anxiety, I've never seen the McGuires so…worried and anxious before. Even Matt has been acting differently. Though, they're all acting as one might expect given their circumstance, I think Lizzie truly is the calmest though…which is still surprising."

"Seems like she and I are the ones on neutral ground."

"Oh?"

"My parents-the people who raised me-are currently fighting. Screaming at each other and adding to the stress I already have." Trina moved her left arm over her stomach and set her right elbow down onto her wrist. Her eyes studied the peach carpet and the puppy slippers beside her feet. "Lizzie said she has to go back for something on Wednesday, but would come back down."

"Yeah, I think that's when she's going to let everyone know how things went. Matt says she, as well as himself, didn't want Mom and Dad to risk confrontation with your parents. They don't even know if you're going to want to see them."

"I do. I want to meet everyone." She lifted her head and turned her attention back to the mirror. Making eye contact with herself, she relaxed her body and slowly curled her fingers into her palm, gripping her pant cloth between her fingers. "I still haven't decided, but if mom and dad are going to be fighting the way they are, I might ask to come up with Lizzie to meet everyone."

"Really?"

It was a frightening thought, especially so soon. Lizzie told her to take her time and to visit when she felt ready. "I think so." She needed to see them, to know them. "I have a lot of questions that need to be answered, and I honestly don't know where I'm going to go from here."

"Well. I agree with Lizzie, take it a step at a time."

"Yeah. Just wish my family here would calm down." She laughed once, but stopped when she heard her sister's door across the hall slam shut. "Mom's frantic, Tori's…I don't know _what_ she's doing because she's acting like she's jealous. That's the last thing I would think of her being, especially when it comes to me, and Dad's well-I don't know. He seems to be handling it well, but when you look at his eyes, they're just sad."

"Well, given the circumstances I can understand."

"They picked a fine time to start fussing over me, if that's what it is. I would think they'd be happy to ship me right back to my birth family." Trina uncurled her hand and walked over to the window, grabbing ahold of the yellow curtains and pulling them back. Down below, Tori's friends were walking to the house. Beck had a deck of cards in his hands. "Hey Malina?"

"Yeah?"

"Miranda jumped on Tori earlier for some of the stuff that she let her friends do. I was wondering, Lizzie and them, they told me that Matt was a bit of a pain when he was younger. How did everyone treat him?"

"Why? Lizzie's friends treated him the same way Lenny and I treated Lizzie. No one attacked anyone, if that's what you're asking. What's up?"

"I uh was just wondering." She didn't want to delve into her life history with Malina right now on the off chance that she might tell Matt she called her and then proceed to discuss what was said. Her birth family had enough stress as it was and didn't need to be made aware of some of the more childish antics that Tori's friends had done in the past.

"Okay. Well if you do decide to come up with Lizzie, I think everyone would love to meet you. I know I would."

"I'd enjoy meeting you too. I'll think about it, right now I'm just concerned with taking a nap." She took a deep breath and let the curtain fall back into place. "It was good talking to you."

"You too." Hanging up, Trina pulled the phone back and looked down to the screen. It was difficult to remember how necessary it was that she relax and not rush into anything. As far as she was concerned, she would just play it by ear and let all the pieces fall where they may. Holly, David and Tori would relax in time, surely.

* * *

Remaining neutral may work for a time, but unless her family can learn to be calm, neutrality may grow difficult.


End file.
